Qualitative questions can capture the thoughtful aspects of respondent experiences and opinions in a survey. Unlike quantitative questions that seek numerical answers, qualitative questions are open-ended queries designed to garner detailed, narrative responses. This is done to explore the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind customer behaviors and opinions. People are expressive. Qualitative research questions are the outlet to understand their opinions.  

What are Qualitative Survey Questions?

Qualitative survey questions are open-ended questions that allow respondents to provide detailed, narrative answers. Theoretically, it may sound like it is the opposite of quantitative questions (closed ended question). However, it is complementary to quantitative questions. It is used to gather customer feedback, in interviews or for in-depth market research. Qualitative questions capture the depth of human experience. Examples of common qualitative questions in research include:

• “What motivated you to purchase this product?”
• “Can you describe your experience with our customer service?”
• “What changes would you suggest to improve our services?”

When should you use qualitative research questions?

There are many ways a qualitative survey question can help where numeric scales cannot do justice. Here are some situations that can best suit this type of question format.

• Gather customer reactions on certain product features, service offerings or other factors that determine purchase decisions.
• Gathering data on the effectiveness of brand awareness or ad campaigns. It can also be used to gauge perceptions of a brand, company or a particular industry. 
• Seek detailed information on the strengths and weaknesses of products or services.
• Collecting sentiments, attitudes and emotional metrics across touchpoints or in the customer journey. 
• It can also be used to get a reasoning behind rating systems. For example, after a Net Promoter Score scale, the customer can get a chance to explain the reason for their rating. 
• To study customer persona, demographics, explore market segments and customer groups.

Why Should You Use Qualitative Survey Questions?

1. Capture nuanced opinions and feelings

Qualitative questions have the ability to capture nuanced opinions and feelings. Qualitative questions allow respondents to share their thoughts in their own words. 

For example, a qualitative question might ask, “What challenges did you face while using our product?” The responses to this question can reveal specific customer pain points. This might not be evident through numerical ratings alone. This in-depth description can give insights on people’s pain points in general. 

2. Qualitative questions are dynamic with a flexible approach

Quantitative questions are predefined and numerical. Qualitative questions allow for a more dynamic data collection process. Researchers can adapt their questions based on respondents’ answers. This flexibility is particularly useful in exploratory research, where the goal is to view fresh insights and understand complex consumer phenomena.
For example, during in-focus group discussions, the researcher can adjust their questions based on the participants’ responses.This adaptability ensures that the data collected is relevant and comprehensive. This versatile approach gets responses even from hard-to-crack respondents. 

3. Open ended questions generate media rich responses

Qualitative questions generate rich and detailed data sets which help CX professionals develop customer personas and journey maps. 

Example, there can be a question like “Can you describe a memorable experience you had with our company’s products?”. The candidate can describe memorable encounters. This rich data can be used to develop detailed customer personas, identify key touchpoints in the customer journey, and inform targeted improvements.

Disadvantages of Using Qualitative Survey Questions:

1. Probability of getting skewed data

People will answer what they interpret. Sometimes, they are not willing to go the extra mile and share in-depth information about their experiences. This can happen when they are either too busy to respond or unmotivated. The probability of getting a detailed response from your entire user base can be smaller.

2. Relying on data from focus groups

Qualitative research requires detailed analysis. This means it can become impossible to study every single response. There can be recurring themes among responses. Another way to find useful information is to rely on focus groups with a much smaller sample size. You can get a limited number of respondents that can help you pinpoint on the insights you need.

3. Limited generalization of responses from focus group

Focus groups can give you detailed insights however, it may not apply to a larger group of people. This can happen when the company is spread across various regions. Each region may have unique experiences that do not reflect the values off of a focus group. This can also affect how the data will be analyzed and interpreted. 

4. Time consuming analysis of detailed responses

Qualitative data, such as open-ended responses, require more time for coding, categorizing, and interpreting compared to structured quantitative data. This is a labour-intensive process when team sizes can be limited. However, to make the workflow manageable, you can rely on AI survey analysis by Merren to help you understand and compile complex information.

Examples of Qualitative Questions

1. Customer experience surveys

Customer experience surveys are short and goal oriented. It contains a mix of both closed ended and open ended questions. Here are a few effective qualitative questions that can be used in customer experience surveys:

• “How did our product/service meet your expectations?”
• “Can you describe a memorable experience you had with our company?”
• “What improvements would you suggest for our product/service?”

These questions are designed to elicit detailed and thoughtful responses. Asking customers to describe a memorable experience can reveal specific interactions or features that had a significant impact. It can also highlight areas where the product or service may be falling short.

2. Market research

Qualitative questions are also a valuable tool in market research. It enables researchers to explore customer needs, preferences, and behaviors in greater depth. Here are a few examples:

• “What problems are you trying to solve with our product?”
• “What features are most important to you in a product like ours?”
• “Can you describe your typical use case for our product?”

These questions help researchers gain insights into customers’ motivations and needs. For instance, understanding a customer’s problem can help businesses develop targeted solutions.

2. Customer satisfaction survey

Customer satisfaction surveys use market standard questions to gauge brand advocacy and loyalty. It can determine experience levels across touchpoints and customer journeys. There are three main types of satisfaction surveys: Net Promoter Score NPS, Customer Satisfaction Score CSAT, Customer Effort Score CES. 

• Net Promoter Score (NPS): “On a scale of 1 to 10, how often will you recommend our products to your friends and family?”. The open ended response will seek answers based on the score. For example, if a customer responds with the score 5 (detractor), the question can be as follows:
  “What can we do to improve our product?”
• Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and Customer Effort Score (CES) follow a standard question metric. It can be denoted by a 5-point scale, emoji-rating scale or a star-rating scale. The open ended question will be as follows:
  “Please give the reason for the rating:”

What are the Methods of Qualitative Survey?

There are several methods of using a qualitative research approach. It can be used as follows:

Conducting personal interviews: Engage in one-on-one discussions to explore respondents’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Use structured, semi-structured, or unstructured formats based on the desired flexibility.

Moderate focus groups: Facilitate small group discussions with 6-12 participants to gather diverse opinions and experiences. Use group dynamics to uncover deeper insights.

Administer open-ended surveys: Use surveys with narrative questions to collect detailed, qualitative data from respondents. Analyze responses for recurring themes and patterns to extract meaningful insights.

Conclusion

People have a dynamic thought process. Qualitative question type allows people to freely express themselves while they go through an experience. Unlike quantitative questions, which focus on numerical data and statistical analysis, qualitative questions encourage respondents to provide narrative responses. Dynamic platforms such as WhatsApp survey forms can capture open ended responses in the form of audio, video or photographs. Collect media rich data using Merren CX. Sign up for a 14 day free trial and gauge into the world of media rich responses.